Harry Wheatcroft : the red rose grower | Parks and Gardens UK Parks and Gardens UK Posted on 04/07/2015 by Parks and Gardens UK Harry Wheatcroft, cover photo from his book In Praise of Roses, 1970 My father was very fond of roses and so I well remember the flamboyant whiskery figure of Harry Wheatcroft from my childhood. He was everywhere in the press, radio and television, selling and promoting roses, especially new colourful hybrid tea cultivars, and we, like almost everyone else, had lots of them in our garden. Wheatcroft looked as if he was a retired, eccentric, rather blimpish, sergeant-major, but as I discovered researching this post he was anything but that. A brilliant salesman, with a ready wit and a definite ‘presence’ he was also a lifelong socialist and pacifist, strong internationalist and a man with a huge heart. Read on to find out more about Harry Wheatcroft, the politically red rose grower.

All the quotations in this post, unless otherwise credited, come from one of Wheatcroft’s two autobiographies, My Life with Roses, (Odhams, 1959) or The Root of the Matter, (Golden Eagle Press, 1974). He also wrote In Praise of Roses (Barrie & Jenkins, 1970) Mrs Wheatcroft with Alfred and Harry, on their annual week’s holiday in Skegness, 1904 from My Life with Roses Harry was born in Nottingham in 1898, and had one elder brother, Alfred. Their father was a jobbing builder who had travelled and worked in Australia and America, where he met his wife. Both their parents were self-taught and became very involved with the Independent Labour Party, so Keir Hardie and most of the other prominent early Labour figures were regular visitors to their home.

Keir Hardie BBC Harry recalled in his autobiography that “Many many times he sat me on my knee, if I was allowed to stay up late…and always included me in his conversation although I was just a boy.” He was to be a socialist all his life, and in the early 1920s was on the verge of entering politics himself, when he had advice from James Maxton, the Glasgow MP who was one of the famous Clyde rebels: “Stick to rose growing, Harry. You’ll bring beauty into the world. Politics is a very dirty business.” Harry in his office, with a photo of his mother, from My LIfe with Roses The Wheatcrofts had an allotment, which necessitated “a great deal of hard work by the entire family, but this was more than adequately offset by the fun the family had there too.” (For more on Nottingham allotments see the post – The Canon and a class act in Nottingham, 4th April 2015 ) Alfred took a great interest in plants and gardening and on leaving school became an apprentice at Lee and Robinson one of the leading firms of nurserymen in Nottingham.

Meanwhile in 1913 Harry was sent to stay with a great uncle who had supplied lace making machinery to factories in northern France, but who had then married and settled there. He attended school there for a year and so he learnt to speak French well enough to stand him in good stead when dealing with French rose breeders later in his career. Called up in 1916, when he reached 18, his political convictions led him to try to register as a conscientious objector. The tribunal dismissed his claim in 5 minutes: “clearly the children of working-class parents were not expected to have a conscience or even understand the problem.” His refusal to conform led to his court-martial and two years imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs where he became malnourished and seriously ill, so was released after serving one year to convalesce at a Quaker health home. Medical opinion was that he should work in the open air and because his brother Alfred was working in horticulture and had become an expert in budding roses – “A natural rose grower” Harry recalled – the family decided to start their own nursery business.

Alfred and Harry on their nursery, from My Life with Roses Wheatcroft Brothers was established in 1919 but the only land they could afford was a “a shocking piece ” about an acre in extent that was “very gravelly and extremely poor… It must have been the worst rose growing place anywhere in Nottinghamshire. Alfred always maintained it was the worst in the country.” To make matters worse it was at river level and on the north-east side of the city so the city’s grime soot and dust was constantly blown over it by the prevailing south-west wind.

“Admittedly this eliminates the danger of blackspot, but it certainly didn’t enhance the appearance of our blooms.” Wheatcroft’s Nursery Grounds in the 1970s The ground was dug over and they bought a primitive greenhouse second-hand where they grew “bedding plants and the usual run of flowers, vegetables, tomatoes, in fact everything that a general nurseryman cultivates….We hadn’t considered specialising in anything, least of all roses.” Obviously on one acre they had no great opportunity to build up stocks and that if a customer asked for something they didn’t have he would cycle round on his bicycle to the bigger nurseries in the area by the plants and deliver them to the customer’s house a little later. But they quickly realised this could not carry on and Alfred decided that they should specialise in roses. Scraping all their savings together in 1920 they obtained 10,000 rose stocks from France which were budded the following year with buds they had obtained from other growers in the district.

Nottingham Market, 1923 With the benefit of hindsight the poor quality of their nursery land proved to be a benefit and helped lead to the success of Wheatcroft Roses because “right from the start our roses survived. They had to.” That first year they sold about £500 worth of rose bushes and cut roses making about £50 profit. This was mainly done by taking a stall in Nottingham market. “People talk about countries having to export or die; well, in the 1920s the Wheatcroft’s, I can assure you, had to sell or to go out of business. We sold.” The stock ground at Wheatcrofts in the 1970s, from My LIfe with Roses By the mid-1920s they were growing 50,000 bushes, and to promote sales further they entered every local agricultural or horticultural show competing with their much larger professional rivals. Then “the fashion was to have exhibits of a tremendous size, a display of 4,000 roses being nothing out of the ordinary.” It was also a time when ingenuity of display was very important.

“The whole idea was to produce a display as different and varied as possible… And it appeared I had a natural bent for this type of work.” But after the judging there was always the business of selling roses and that’s where Harry showed his real strength. They increased the stock to 100,000 plants, started showing further afield, produced a printed catalogue and began building up a mailing list. But it was not enough to sustain continued growth, “so on a bright summer’s day I mounted a motorcycle, and set off on a route which I had planned to take me up the east side of Britain, down the West and into the towns which I’d ringed on a map where I knew certainly there were nurserymen who may possibly be interested.” It worked and he sold 30,000 bushes that trip, some to well known established firms. This led them to print a full colour catalogue, and when one local client asked them to design a rose garden, and then the rest of his garden, they branched out into garden design.

Dorothy and Harry standing behind a bed of Dorothy Wheatcroft roses, from My Life with Roses In June 1929 Wheatcroft married Dorothy Averill , usually known as Doss who was a PT lecturer and teacher. She was to become “Queen of the Castle” in their obviously companionable marriage. Their married life started in a custom-built gypsy caravan named The Rambling Rose, on the nursery site at Gedling. It might not have had running water or sanitation but it offered other advantages instead: ” by just hitching up The Rambling Rose to our car, we immediately eliminated the worry and expense of booking accommodation, railway timetables and the like. All that was necessary was to cut our finest blooms – much later than was previously possible-and off we would go.” Gloria Mundi, bred by De Ruyter, 1929 1000+ images about China: Harry Wheatcroft Roses on Pinterest | English, Tea cups and White roses Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas China: Harry Wheatcroft Roses Harry Wheatcroft (1898–1977) was a famous grower of English roses and during the early twentieth century introduced a large variety of roses to Britain.

In the 1960s, Royal Standard, Roslyn, and Paragon (amongst others) created tea sets from the Harry Wheatcroft famous roses collection. 129 Pins300 Followers BBC - Gardening - Flower shows - The perfect English rose The early days When bright red rose 'Super Star' was unveiled at the Chelsea Flower Show in the early 1960s it was an overnight sensation. Nobody had seen such a unique colour before and it quickly became a must-have plant. Flamboyant rosarian Harry Wheatcroft was the breeder behind the plant. Instrumental in giving roses mass appeal in the post-war period he launched a raft of best-sellers. Another of his famous blooms, 'Fragrant Cloud' was so strongly perfumed that he'd tantalise show-goers by putting a single flower in a glass and hiding it under a black cloth. Visitors to Wheatcroft's stand weren't allowed to see the flowers, but were invited to breathe in their intoxicating scent. 21st century blooms Today the launch of a new rose is a big part of the show season and UK growers release about 70 varieties every year.

Among recent success stories are dark purple 'Rhapsody in Blue' and rich brown 'Hot Chocolate'. But the most popular is 'Sweet Dreams', launched by Fryer's Roses in 1988. Over 4.5 million plants have been sold, making it the best-selling British rose ever. Although many varieties are launched each year, even more are consigned to history because of poor sales. The 2006 issue of Find that Rose, an annual guide to who grows what, lists 106 taken off the market since last year. According to growers, some roses only have a shelf-life of five years and fail to sell because of poor resistance to pests and diseases, or because they've been superseded by another variety. Even the name of a rose can sometimes lead to disappointing sales and canny growers aim to find titles that have a wide appeal. David Austin Roses launches about six new plants every year and its technical manager Michael Marriott says, "The name is crucial and we spend a lot of time thinking about it." He explains that the company is often asked to dedicate a rose to a person or institution. Sometimes the names can be inappropriate.

"This year we were approached by the Horniman Museum in London to mark the centenary of the death of its founder, Frederick Horniman, who was a Victorian tea trader. "We liked the idea, but not the name. So in the end we decided to call it 'Tea Clipper'." The ultimate quest The selection process is rigourous, with only one in 250,000 new varieties ever making it to market. Even then each new variety may be up to eight years in development before it is eventually launched. It's a lot of effort, so what is the holy grail for rose breeders? Michael Marriott wants no less than perfection: Our roses should have everything, fragrance, wonderful flowers, reliability and good resistance to pests and diseases. For breeder Robert Harkness it's, to make maintenance-free roses that grow without a fuss. We're trying to make the gardener's job easier. Many breeders want to replace long-established varieties. Gareth Fryer says a fantastic red rose is needed to oust best-selling 'Ingrid Bergman' and a new yellow climber would be welcome to supersede 'Golden Showers'.

"It's been popular for about 70 years, but it's average really," he says. But what breeders don't want to see is a black rose. "It would be a novelty for a while, but most people aren't keen on seeing it. If it arrives it will be from genetic fiddling," says Amanda Beales at Peter Beales Roses. With the show season upon us, rose breeders will be hoping to grab our attention with their new varieties. Amanda is confident that its star launch for Chelsea, which can't be named until the show, will fly off the shelves and still be around in five years time. "It's got perfume, blowsy carmine flowers and pear-shaped hips. It does everything we're looking for," she says proudly. "I think it will become a classic." 'Peace' - creamy yellow, arguably the best known rose ever. 'Rhapsody in Blue' - dark purple, fading to slate. A real colour break. 'Sweet Dreams' - double, peach coloured flowers. The best-selling British rose. 'Golden Showers' - the best yellow climber. 'Allgold' - well loved rose with clusters of golden yellow flowers. 'Ingrid Bergman' - best-selling red.

'Constance Spry' - named for a famous florist it has blowsy pink flowers. 'Flower Carpet' - groundcover rose with deep pink flowers. 'Iceberg' - loads of pure white flowers. 'New Dawn' - scented pink flowers. It was bred in the 1930s, but is probably still the best rambler. The County Series of roses - a series of roses named after individual counties. All are floriferous and easy to look after. In Lifestyle Harry Wheatcroft Harry Wheatcroft Harry Wheatcroft (1963) Harry Wheatcroft (1898–1977) was a famous English rose grower. He did a great deal to popularise roses among British gardeners. He was known for his flamboyant appearance and opinions. Contents 7 External links Early life Wheatcroft was born at 23 Handel Street, Sneinton , Nottingham , the younger son of George Alfred Wheatcroft (b. 1862/3), a journeyman stonemason and builder, and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Wood.

They were dedicated members of the Independent Labour Party, whose leaders visited the modest family home, and on many occasions the young Harry sat on Keir Hardie ‘s knee. Wheatcroft attended schools in Nottingham and also the Ecole Camille Desmoulins at Saint-Quentin , France, where he became fluent in French. After working in a lace factory and a motor firm he was conscripted in 1916, despite having claimed registration as a conscientious objector . He was court-martialled for disobedience and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs . Diagnosed with tuberculosis , however, he was released after serving one year to convalesce at a Quaker health home. Post-World War I Wheatcroft considered whether to enter politics or join his brother Alfred as a market gardener. The politician James Maxton guided him into horticulture, saying ‘You’ll bring beauty into the world. Politics is a very dirty business’ . The horticultural firm of Wheatcroft Brothers was established in 1919, with a bicycle as the only means of transport, and in 1920 roses became a speciality.

Alfred managed the business and Harry was the salesman, often away looking for custom and attending horticultural shows. This worked well because the two never got on, Alfred being misanthropic and Harry outgoing. In 1927 they introduced the Princess Elizabeth rose to honour the royal baby; it was the first of many public relations successes. For the rest of his career Wheatcroft sought and won media attention. He grew into a striking figure, tall and slender until he filled out in middle age, with a pleasing gruff voice and a gift for witty repartee. He cultivated flowing hair and whiskers, finding them “more convenient to grow… than to waste valuable time shaving them off.” Married life On 15 June 1929 Wheatcroft married Dorothy, known as Doss (1905–1999) the daughter of John Averill, a wealthy Tamworth farmer. She was a gymnast and dietician. Under her influence Wheatcroft became mainly vegetarian and his health improved. They lived at the nursery in Gedling , Nottingham, in a custom built Gypsy caravan, arousing curiosity when they took it to the shows.

In winter Wheatcroft used a motor cycle when seeking wholesale outlets for unsold plants. He visited breeders in Spain and France, using his linguistic skill, and returned with rose varieties for future introduction. Wheatcroft’s marketing of some of those plants might suggest that the firm had originated them, but in truth they had minimal success as rose breeders. In 1935 their launch of Herbert Robinson’s Phyllis Gold and Christopher Stone with unprecedented publicity surprised the British rose world. Such vigorous salesmanship was something new. On the outbreak of World War II Wheatcrofts had 600,000 roses ‘about four feet high and in full flower. It appeared there was only one course we could take, which was to destroy our trees and convert the land for food production’. They became instead successful producers of vegetables and breeders of pigs and cattle. After the war Wheatcroft contacted Francois Meilland of Lyons, whose rose, Peace, the sensation of the time, he introduced to Britain in 1948. Success as a rose grower In 1952 he secured another coup, by introducing Queen Elizabeth from the USA.

In 1953 Wheatcrofts sought to register eleven rose names as trademarks , to give them a monopoly over Meilland ‘s creations. In the Chancery Division, ‘With his Dundreary whiskers , his mane of black hair, his suit of black-and-white check … the Nottingham rose king made as picturesque a figure this week as the Law Courts have seen’ He made the judge laugh, lost the case, but reckoned the publicity well worth the £2000 costs. Wheatcroft displayed brilliant showmanship with two German Roses. Super Star, exhibited in London before the name had been agreed, appeared as ‘the Great Unnamed Seedling.’ And he made Fragrant Cloud the talking point of the National Rose Society’s autumn show in 1963 by filling a bowl with its wonderfully scented petals. The acquisition of these varieties, with Peace and Queen Elizabeth, are Wheatcroft’s enduring achievements, a tribute to his energy, good rose judgment, and entrepreneurial skills. Split with Alfred Wheatcroft In 1962, when longstanding strained relationships with his brother came to a head, Wheatcroft joined his sons in a rival firm, which bought out the older company to become the Wheatcroft Organization.

With capable young family members running the day-to-day business (never his strong suit) Wheatcroft gave his publicity skills free rein. His whiskers and dress became more bizarre. Out of a huge maroon Rolls Royce would appear his tall, gangling figure. Clad in a floral shirt with royal-blue trousers flecked with colour, or perhaps in a suit of dogtooth tweed trimmed with tangerine velvet, against which his horn-rimmed spectacles swung wildly from a string. He captivated photographers, the media, and the gardening public. Show reports carried his picture even when his firm’s participation had been minimal. He travelled the world, lectured extensively, and wrote books, and his television appearances included a commercial advertising cheese. During this period Wheatcroft committed a social indiscretion at the Royal Horticultural Society ‘s Chelsea Flower Show by staging roses without a shirt on.

It has been recounted that the president, Lord Aberconway , approached: ‘A hot day, Harry!’ ‘Indeed, my lord.’ ‘Tell you what, Harry, if you’ll put a shirt on, I’ll take my jacket off!’ The society honoured him in 1972 with the Victoria Medal of Honour , and in 1973 he was awarded the Royal National Rose Society ‘s Dean Hole medal. Wheatcroft’s prosperity and enjoyment of life’s good things never blunted his sometimes naive expression of left-wing views. He offended a Texan audience by declaring that America might not be embroiled in the Vietnam combat if more Americans grew roses. Yet on attending the May Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square, he admiringly described the militarism on display as awe-inspiring. Family life At home he was a quiet, even subdued family man, happy with his five children though with little time to spend with them, for they attended boarding school, and summer holidays coincided with shows.

His wife, Doss, was infuriated by a string of infidelities; he shrugged them off, maintaining that yielding to temptation is ‘a natural bent, isn’t it?’ (Wheatcroft, Root of the platter, 4r). In the 1960s he named a red rose for his wife, and a flamboyant red and yellow rose bore his own name in 1972. Having suffered a stroke, Wheatcroft died in Nottingham General Hospital on 8 January 1977. Wheatcroft Garden Centre is still in operation in Edwalton in Nottingham today, leased from the Wheatcroft family by Notcutts Ltd. The onsite café is called The Street Kitchen. Over the past years it has undergone major refurbishments with a large extension which covers homeware and gifts and the newly installed food shop where a selection of home made meals and condiments are available. These improvements have helped the popularity of The Wheatcroft Garden Centre continue to grow. His niece, Anna Wheatcroft, was married to future “ Doctor Who ” star Tom Baker from 1961 to 1966. They had two children, Daniel and Piers.

In his book, ‘Who on Earth is Tom Baker?’, the actor explained that during his marriage to Anna, the rest of the Wheatcroft family treated him very cruelly. External links Harry Wheatcroft - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia I Live my life to the Fullest!!! coz you know you only get one !!! Harry Wheatcroft Name Harry Wheatcroft Died 1977, Nottingham, United Kingdom Harry Wheatcroft (1898–1977) was a famous English rose grower. He did a great deal to popularise roses among British gardeners. He was known for his flamboyant appearance and opinions. Early life Wheatcroft was born at 23 Handel Street, Sneinton, Nottingham, the younger son of George Alfred Wheatcroft (b. 1862/3), a journeyman stonemason and builder, and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Wood. They were dedicated members of the Independent Labour Party, whose leaders visited the modest family home, and on many occasions the young Harry sat on Keir Hardie's knee.

Wheatcroft attended schools in Nottingham and also the Ecole Camille Desmoulins at Saint-Quentin, France, where he became fluent in French. After working in a lace factory and a motor firm he was conscripted in 1916, despite having claimed registration as a conscientious objector. He was court-martialled for disobedience and sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, however, he was released after serving one year to convalesce at a Quaker health home. Post-World War I Wheatcroft considered whether to enter politics or join his brother Alfred as a market gardener. The politician James Maxton guided him into horticulture, saying 'You'll bring beauty into the world. Politics is a very dirty business' . The horticultural firm of Wheatcroft Brothers was established in 1919, with a bicycle as the only means of transport, and in 1920 roses became a speciality. Alfred managed the business and Harry was the salesman, often away looking for custom and attending horticultural shows. This worked well because the two never got on, Alfred being misanthropic and Harry outgoing.

In 1927 they introduced the Princess Elizabeth rose to honour the royal baby; it was the first of many public relations successes. For the rest of his career Wheatcroft sought and won media attention. He grew into a striking figure, tall and slender until he filled out in middle age, with a pleasing gruff voice and a gift for witty repartee. He cultivated flowing hair and whiskers, finding them "more convenient to grow... than to waste valuable time shaving them off." Married life On 15 June 1929 Wheatcroft married Dorothy, known as Doss (1905–1999) the daughter of John Averill, a wealthy Tamworth farmer. She was a gymnast and dietician. Under her influence Wheatcroft became mainly vegetarian and his health improved. They lived at the nursery in Gedling, Nottingham, in a custom built Gypsy caravan, arousing curiosity when they took it to the shows. In winter Wheatcroft used a motor cycle when seeking wholesale outlets for unsold plants. He visited breeders in Spain and France, using his linguistic skill, and returned with rose varieties for future introduction.

Wheatcroft's marketing of some of those plants might suggest that the firm had originated them, but in truth they had minimal success as rose breeders. In 1935 their launch of Herbert Robinson's Phyllis Gold and Christopher Stone with unprecedented publicity surprised the British rose world. Such vigorous salesmanship was something new. On the outbreak of World War II Wheatcrofts had 600,000 roses 'about four feet high and in full flower. It appeared there was only one course we could take, which was to destroy our trees and convert the land for food production'. They became instead successful producers of vegetables and breeders of pigs and cattle. After the war Wheatcroft contacted Francois Meilland of Lyons, whose rose, Peace, the sensation of the time, he introduced to Britain in 1948. Success as a rose grower In 1952 he secured another coup, by introducing Queen Elizabeth from the USA. In 1953 Wheatcrofts sought to register eleven rose names as trademarks, to give them a monopoly over Meilland's creations.

In the Chancery Division, 'With his Dundreary whiskers, his mane of black hair, his suit of black-and-white check ... the Nottingham rose king made as picturesque a figure this week as the Law Courts have seen' He made the judge laugh, lost the case, but reckoned the publicity well worth the £2000 costs. Wheatcroft displayed brilliant showmanship with two German Roses. Super Star, exhibited in London before the name had been agreed, appeared as 'the Great Unnamed Seedling.' And he made Fragrant Cloud the talking point of the National Rose Society's autumn show in 1963 by filling a bowl with its wonderfully scented petals. The acquisition of these varieties, with Peace and Queen Elizabeth, are Wheatcroft's enduring achievements, a tribute to his energy, good rose judgment, and entrepreneurial skills. Split with Alfred Wheatcroft In 1962, when longstanding strained relationships with his brother came to a head, Wheatcroft joined his sons in a rival firm, which bought out the older company to become the Wheatcroft Organization. With capable young family members running the day-to-day business (never his strong suit) Wheatcroft gave his publicity skills free rein.

His whiskers and dress became more bizarre. Out of a huge maroon Rolls Royce would appear his tall, gangling figure. Clad in a floral shirt with royal-blue trousers flecked with colour, or perhaps in a suit of dogtooth tweed trimmed with tangerine velvet, against which his horn-rimmed spectacles swung wildly from a string. He captivated photographers, the media, and the gardening public. Show reports carried his picture even when his firm's participation had been minimal. He travelled the world, lectured extensively, and wrote books, and his television appearances included a commercial advertising cheese. During this period Wheatcroft committed a social indiscretion at the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show by staging roses without a shirt on. It has been recounted that the president, Lord Aberconway, approached: 'A hot day, Harry!' 'Indeed, my lord.' 'Tell you what, Harry, if you'll put a shirt on, I'll take my jacket off!' The society honoured him in 1972 with the Victoria Medal of Honour, and in 1973 he was awarded the Royal National Rose Society's Dean Hole medal.

Wheatcroft's prosperity and enjoyment of life's good things never blunted his sometimes naive expression of left-wing views. He offended a Texan audience by declaring that America might not be embroiled in the Vietnam combat if more Americans grew roses. Yet on attending the May Day parade in Moscow's Red Square, he admiringly described the militarism on display as awe-inspiring. Family life At home he was a quiet, even subdued family man, happy with his five children though with little time to spend with them, for they attended boarding school, and summer holidays coincided with shows. His wife, Doss, was infuriated by a string of infidelities; he disarmingly shrugged them off, maintaining that yielding to temptation is 'a natural bent, isn't it?' (Wheatcroft, Root of the platter, 4r). In the 1960s he named a red rose for his wife, and an appropriately flamboyant red and yellow rose bore his own name in 1972. Having suffered a stroke, Wheatcroft died peacefully in Nottingham General Hospital on 8 January 1977.

Sponsored Links Wheatcroft Garden Centre is still in operation in Edwalton in Nottingham today, although recently bought from the Wheatcroft family by a private chain. The onsite cafe is called Cafe Rose, in honour of Harry Wheatcroft. Over the past years it has undergone major refurbishments with a large extension which covers homeware and gifts and the newly installed food shop where a selection of home made meals and condiments are available. These improvements have helped the popularity of The Wheatcroft Garden Centre continue to grow. His niece, Anna Wheatcroft, was married to future "Doctor Who" star Tom Baker from 1961 to 1966. They had two children, Daniel and Piers. In his book, 'Who on Earth is Tom Baker?', the actor explained that during his marriage to Anna, the rest of the Wheatcroft family treated him very cruelly. H Harry with green check shirt Harry Wheatcroft (cont) Harry Wheatcroft was a famous rose grower from Yorkshire. He lived from 1898 to 1977. Harry Wheatcroft catalogues Harry Wheatcroft with his three sons David, Christopher, and Jonathan (David with son/daughter) Helmsman Dated 1995. Experimental model.

Only one known example in existence. This was probably one of the last models to be produced by Bossons. harry wheatcroft : definition of harry wheatcroft and synonyms of harry wheatcroft (English) 7 External links Early life Wheatcroft was born at 23 Handel Street, Sneinton , Nottingham , the younger son of George Alfred Wheatcroft (b. 1862/3). a journeyman stonemason and builder, and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Wood. They were dedicated members of the Independent Labour Party, whose leaders visited the modest family home, and on many occasions the young Harry sat on Keir Hardie 's knee. Wheatcroft attended schools in Nottingham and also the Ecole Camille Desmoulins at Saint-Quentin , France, where he became fluent in French. After working in a lace factory and a motor firm he was conscripted in 1916, despite having claimed registration as a conscientious objector . He was court-martialled for disobedience and sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs . Diagnosed with tuberculosis , however, he was released after serving one year to convalesce at a Quaker health home.

Post-World War I Wheatcroft considered whether to enter politics or join his brother Alfred as a market gardener. The politician James Maxton guided him into horticulture, saying 'You'll bring beauty into the world. Politics is a very dirty business' . The horticultural firm of Wheatcroft Brothers was established in 1919, with a bicycle as the only means of transport, and in 1920 roses became a specialty. Alfred managed the business and Harry was the salesman, often away looking for custom and attending horticultural shows. This worked well because the two never got on, Alfred being misanthropic and Harry outgoing. In 1927 they introduced the Princess Elizabeth rose to honor the royal baby; it was the first of many public relations successes. For the rest of his career Wheatcroft sought and won media attention. He grew into a striking figure, tall and slender until he filled out in middle age, with a pleasing gruff voice and a gift for witty repartee. He cultivated flowing hair and whiskers, finding them "more convenient to grow...

than to waste valuable time shaving them off." Gregory's Roses are now Back in the City Reviving the Tradition of Rose excellence in Nottingham Married life On 15 June 1929 Wheatcroft married Dorothy, known as Doss (1905-1999) the daughter of John Averill, a wealthy Tamworth farmer. She was a gymnast and dietician. Under her influence Wheatcroft became mainly vegetarian and his health improved. They lived at the nursery in Gedling , Nottingham, in a custom built Gypsy caravan, arousing curiosity when they took it to the shows. In winter Wheatcroft used a motor cycle when seeking wholesale outlets for unsold plants. He visited breeders in Spain and France, utilizing his linguistic skill, and returned with rose varieties for future introduction. Wheatcroft's marketing of some of those plants might suggest that the firm had originated them, but in truth they had minimal success as rose breeders. In 1935 their launch of Herbert Robinson's Phyllis Gold and Christopher Stone with unprecedented publicity surprised the British rose world. Such vigorous salesmanship was something new.

On the outbreak of World War II Wheatcrofts had 600,000 roses `about four feet high and in full flower. It appeared there was only one course we could take, which was to destroy our trees and convert the land for food production'. They became instead successful producers of vegetables and breeders of pigs and cattle. After the war Wheatcroft contacted Francois Meilland of Lyons, whose rose Peace, the sensation of the time, he introduced to Britain in 1948. Success as a rose grower In 1952 he secured another coup, by introducing Queen Elizabeth from the USA. In 1953 Wheatcrofts sought to register eleven rose names as trademarks , to give them a monopoly over Meilland's creations. In the Chancery Division, 'With his Dundreary whiskers , his mane of black hair, his suit of black-and-white check ... the Nottingham rose king made as picturesque a figure this week as the Law Courts have seen' He made the judge laugh, lost the case, but reckoned the publicity well worth the £2000 costs. Wheatcroft displayed brilliant showmanship with two German Roses.

Super Star, exhibited in London before the name had been agreed, appeared as ‘the Great Unnamed Seedling.’ And he made Fragrant Cloud the talking point of the National Rose Society’s autumn show in 1963 by filling a bowl with its wonderfully scented petals. The acquisition of these varieties, with peace and Queen Elizabeth, are Wheatcroft’s enduring achievements, a tribute to his energy, good rose judgment, and entrepreneurial skills. Split with Alfred Wheatcroft In 1962, when longstanding strained relationships with his brother came to a head, Wheatcroft joined his sons in a rival firm, which bought out the older company to become the Wheatcroft Organization. With capable young family members running the day-to-day business (never his strong suit) Wheatcroft gave his publicity skills free rein. His whiskers and dress became more bizarre. Out of a huge maroon Rolls Royce would appear his tall, gangling figure. Clad in a floral shirt with royal-blue trousers flecked with colour, or perhaps in a suit of dogtooth tweed trimmed with tangerine velvet, against which his horn-rimmed spectacles swung wildly from a string. He captivated photographers, the media, and the gardening public.

Show reports carried his picture even when his firm's participation had been minimal. He traveled the world, lectured extensively, and wrote books, and his television appearances included a commercial advertising cheese. During this period Wheatcroft committed a social indiscretion at the Royal Horticultural Society 's Chelsea Flower Show by staging roses without a shirt on. It has been recounted that the president, Lord Aberconway , approached: 'A hot day, Harry!' 'Indeed, my lord.' 'Tell you what, Harry, if you'll put a shirt on, I'll take my jacket off!' The society honored him in 1972 with the Victoria Medal of Honor , and in 1973 he was awarded the Royal National Rose Society 's Dean Hole medal. Wheatcroft's prosperity and enjoyment of life's good things never blunted his sometimes naive expression of left- wing views. He offended a Texan audience by declaring that America might not be embroiled in the Vietnam combat if more Americans grew roses. Yet on attending the May Day parade in Moscow's Red Square, he admiringly described the militarism on display as awe-inspiring.

Family life At home he was a quiet, even subdued family man, happy with his five children though with little time to spend with them, for they attended boarding school, and summer holidays coincided with shows. His wife, Doss, was infuriated by a string of infidelities; he disarmingly shrugged them off, maintaining that yielding to temptation is 'a natural bent, isn't it?' (Wheatcroft, Root of the platter, 4r). In the 1960s he named a red rose for his wife, and an appropriately flamboyant red and yellow rose bore his own name in 1972. Having suffered a stroke, Wheatcroft died peacefully in Nottingham General Hospital on 8 Jan 1977. Wheatcroft Garden Centre is still in operation in Edwalton in Nottingham today, although recently bought from the Wheatcroft family by a private chain. The onsite cafe is called Cafe Rose, in honour of Harry Wheatcroft. Over the past years it has undergone major refurbishments with a large extension which covers homeware and gifts and the newly installed food shop where a selection of home made meals and condiments are available.

These improvements have helped the popularity of The Wheatcroft Garden Centre continue to grow. His niece, Anna Wheatcroft, was married to future " Doctor Who " star Tom Baker from 1961 to 1966. They had two children, Daniel and Piers. In his book, 'Who On Earth is Tom Baker?', the actor explained that during his marriage to Anna, the rest of the Wheatcroft family treated him very cruelly. External links British Flower Week: the flower of our heritage | Butlins Blog British Flower Week: the flower of our heritage By Clare McAuley , June 17, 2016 Let’s forget about the Euros for just one minute (please!) and focus our attention on the beauty of nature. Monday marked the beginning of the annual British Flower Week; a seven-day-long celebration of British flowers, foliage and floristry. For everyone here at Butlin’s and for many of our guests too, flowers not only bring our three seaside resorts to life through sight and smell, but they also remind us of a rather special part of our heritage.

Butlin’s Ayr, The Gardens, 1962 Although I’m almost certain we can’t classify Billy Butlin as a professional florist, just like everyone else enjoying British Flower Week for different reasons, we’re doing so by celebrating Billy’s appreciation for nature and in particular, his love of the rose flower. Back where it begun, Billy used roses to furbish his chalets and resorts in general; bringing bursts of colour and delight to every guest who walked the Butlins’ resorts. He developed pleasure gardens and rose gardens to create idyllic spaces for families to explore and relax together in the outdoors. In the 1960s, a momentous year for Butlin’s , a rose was named after Sir William Butlin as a thank you for all the fundraising he did for the charity Variety Club. Billy Butlin and Sheila Butlin with Harry Wheatcroft (1960s). Photograph taken on the occasion of the presentation of the Butlin rose by Harry Wheatcroft, the famous English rose grower.

Roses were such an integral part of Billy’s holiday resorts and are to our heritage, we even created a chalet reflection made of roses in the Butlin’s red to commemorate the launch of our West Lakes Chalets in Minehead last year. Although sadly it wasn’t the same rose Billy was commemorated with, we took ownership of the new rose we had created for the launch – two types of rose dedicated to Billy’s honour, how delightful! So thanks to Billy’s love of roses, flowers form an important part of our history; reminding us of how we grew our pleasure gardens from simple outdoor spaces into nostalgic family memories. What we’d like to know is how you’ve celebrated British Flower Week? Are there any particular scents, colours or textures of flower which bring back special moments for you? Here’s to the flower of our heritage and to all the beauty those little gems bring us!

Question: Harry Wheatcroft was a renowned grower of which flowers
Answer: Roses